Retiring the 7mm Magnum

T

TackDriver284

Handloader
Feb 13, 2016
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1,561
I set the 7mm Magnum up for retirement today at a small gun shop along with the NXS 8-32, the M995 Sako I have had since the early 90's, had her third barrel on it. Last and current barrel is a 26 inch Brux, and it had downed so many whitetails and hogs over the years and a couple of nilgai. Used Ballistic Tips with it mostly for deer and hogs. The two nilgai I downed was with the 150 grain Partition, one shot to the neck on one and a chest shot to the 2nd. I'm going to miss that rifle, and after filling out the paperwork to sell for me and pick up the cash once its sold, I looked around and found some BR4 and CCI 450 Magnum small rifle primers, it was $13.99 each, but dropped a dollar per tray, and I asked for 10 of each for $12.99, a tad steep, but its better than paying hazmat fee and shipping. Made a stop at Bass Pro on the way home to take a look at their Vortex selections of scopes for my future .22 Vudoo build. They had a Viper PST 5-25 x 50, and that scope was nice, and I liked the " Christmas Tree" reticles, and the mil dot in the center for the first focal plane and its a MOA, took notes and saved the info in my little pocketbook for later decisions to buy once the Vudoo is on her way, but I'm leaning on a NightForce ATACR 7-35 to make a swap with my 6 BR, and use the existing ATACR 5-25x56 for the Vudoo .22, it is a step up from the Vortex Viper 5-25 x 50 and the Strike Eagle 5-25 x 56. Decisions, decisions and decisions,,,,might wait until the Vudoo .22 comes. Anyway, on the way out I stopped in the reloading section and dang it, they had some small rifle BR4 and CCI Magnum primers for $10.49 !! I could have saved 50 bucks! Sheesh, I thought to myself " oh well, next time". Grabbed a box of 168 AMax and 168 ELD M to try in the .308 one of these days. It was good to see Bass Pro finally get some reloading stuff stocked up because on many trips there in the past I did not find anything worth shopping for.

Does anyone have any good experience with the Vortex Viper or the Strike Eagle?
 
Sounds like a pretty good day to me.

I was able to score 5 bricks of Rem 7.5 primers for $80/ brick for the 223, a brick of SK long range for $100 for the CZ457, and a pound of N540 for $48 to try in the 223 with the 75 ELDMs yesterday all at the LGS. Nice to see some things on the shelves for not to bad of prices. If you're patient enough still some decent deals to be had in today's world anyway.

No info on those Vortex inparticular but I do like my cheap 5-25x Venom with the xmas tree reticle. It's been nothing but good to me and tracks very well. Able to dial 65 MOA and back down to a 50y zero and everything inbetween with no issues, glass is decent, reticle is nice. Sweet scope for a .22 at $400. I kinda like your idea of going NF though if you're able to swing it! Not even comparable haha.
 
read up on the vortex scope before you purchase . a guy in the lease with me bought a vortex last fall . I'm not sure what model he bought , but he was very disgusted with something on the zero stop . I'm not sure if it was how it worked , or how to set it . I'm pretty sure he took it back , over this zero stop issue .

my opinion is you can't beat a nightforce . I have a 5.5 - 22 NXS that could end up on my Tikka 22 rimfire . it seems like overkill , but I'll bet there is no problems for many, many , years .
 
I have several Vipers in different models but no PST. I have no complaints with them , they do their job period.
If you like the floating dot , take a look at the Golden Eagle. I have one mounted on my 6mm Creed. The only thing I notice with it , it darkens above 45x.
 
Tack I retired my 7mmRM this year too after 30 plus years of faithful service. The 98 action still rough as guts compared to today’s actions but it never missed a beat. Over that time it wore 2 bell and Carlson stocks, and like you it was fed a diet of mainly 150nbt’s and not once did they let me down if I did my job. The best part of my retiring is the rifle went to my oldest son who loves it.

I have fallen in love with 280ai and just wasn’t shooting the old girl.

Too give you an idea on prices in Australia. A brick of primers costs north of $230 for small rifle primers assuming you can find them. A box of 7mm 150 grain ballistic tips is $78. Shooting is becoming an expensive hobby over here.
 
Aussie Wanderer said:
Tack I retired my 7mmRM this year too after 30 plus years of faithful service. The 98 action still rough as guts compared to today’s actions but it never missed a beat. Over that time it wore 2 bell and Carlson stocks, and like you it was fed a diet of mainly 150nbt’s and not once did they let me down if I did my job. The best part of my retiring is the rifle went to my oldest son who loves it.

I have fallen in love with 280ai and just wasn’t shooting the old girl.

Too give you an idea on prices in Australia. A brick of primers costs north of $230 for small rifle primers assuming you can find them. A box of 7mm 150 grain ballistic tips is $78. Shooting is becoming an expensive hobby over here.
Click to expand...
That AUD or did you convert to USD? Cause you’re getting absolutely scammed if you did the latter 😵
 
I've semi retired a few but it's fun to blow off the dust and take them for a walk in the woods. I did just that with the 700 Classic 35 Whelen a couple years ago.

JD338
 

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Mark , what are you using , a front focal , or second focal scope ? will your new scope be the same ?
 
jimbires said:
Mark , what are you using , a front focal , or second focal scope ? will your new scope be the same ?
Click to expand...
If its the Nightforce ATACR 7-35 ( to swap with the 5.5 x 25 x 56 that is on the BR, then use this for the .22 ) then it will be the 2nd focal plane, if its the Vortex for the .22 only , then it will be first focal plane in MOA since it only comes with the floating dot, which I like. I won't be doing any range measuring, I'll just leave it at either 20 or 25X and use the hash marks to shoot 50, 100, 150 and 200 at those matches.

Not sure how I will be using wind hold on some of those hash marks that don't even have those wind hold dots, those wind hold dots only apply to #4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32 and 36 on the vertical line. I wonder how I can do the wind hold on the other vertical numbers that do not have the wind hold dots on the vertical line?
Check the link.

VTX_SE-52503_EBR-7C_MOA_RS_I_RI_ST.pdf

vortexoptics.widen.net vortexoptics.widen.net
 
Semi-retired my 30-06 few years ago. I like Jim said pull it out and shoot at the range and or hunt with it. Just not as often. Dan.
 
Most of my ifles are either retired or semi-retired due to the increasing lack of tolerance of recoil. Anything kicking harder than a .300 Win. Mag or especially my .35 Whelen is in full retirement. The .300 and .35 will only be shot to check the sights and on the hunt.
I have no idea what my physical tolerance level is currently bit two areas concrn me. One is I worry about getting a detached retina from shooting on of the harder kicking rifles. The second is I now have three stnts with another one scheduled. More importantly is day before yesterday I had my aortic valve replaced and I damn well want to make sure a hard kicking rifle doesn't knock that thing loose. Be a quick bleed out and long gone. Gonna have to work this out with the doc in a few days.

I don't know if my 7MM Rem. Mag. will be too much gun and hoping at least the 06 or .270 might be ok. There id one I think will work and that is a Winchester M70 Featherweight in 7x57. Factory ammo is mikd on the shoulder and will work within reasonable ranges. I've been working with it for some time now and have a good load with the 150 gr.Nosler Partition. Recoil is closer to a .270 than factory 7x57 ammo though but I'm hoping I can get away with using it. Velocity is 2880 FPS and it does move out. I'd hate to have break down almost 100 rounds of finished ammo but it wouldn't be the first time.I also have a good supply of Nosler 150 gr. ABLR that I have to find a usable load for. I'll just have to wait and see.
Paul B.
 
Good luck with all that Paul. Hope the Doc gives you good news. I think with today’s bullets calibre is possibly less important for many game animals than it used to be when bullets were less reliable. If I had to shoot my 260 for the rest of my life, there would still be a pile of critters at my feet and food in the fridge, and it would be very pleasant shooting.
 
TackDriver284 said:
If its the Nightforce ATACR 7-35 ( to swap with the 5.5 x 25 x 56 that is on the BR, then use this for the .22 ) then it will be the 2nd focal plane, if its the Vortex for the .22 only , then it will be first focal plane in MOA since it only comes with the floating dot, which I like. I won't be doing any range measuring, I'll just leave it at either 20 or 25X and use the hash marks to shoot 50, 100, 150 and 200 at those matches.

Not sure how I will be using wind hold on some of those hash marks that don't even have those wind hold dots, those wind hold dots only apply to #4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32 and 36 on the vertical line. I wonder how I can do the wind hold on the other vertical numbers that do not have the wind hold dots on the vertical line?
Check the link.

VTX_SE-52503_EBR-7C_MOA_RS_I_RI_ST.pdf

vortexoptics.widen.net vortexoptics.widen.net
Click to expand...



Mark , I see what you mean . there are big gaps in the hold over reticle . it would work ok for hunting big game , but it's lacking for precision target use .
 
PJGunner said:
Most of my ifles are either retired or semi-retired due to the increasing lack of tolerance of recoil. Anything kicking harder than a .300 Win. Mag or especially my .35 Whelen is in full retirement. The .300 and .35 will only be shot to check the sights and on the hunt.
I have no idea what my physical tolerance level is currently bit two areas concrn me. One is I worry about getting a detached retina from shooting on of the harder kicking rifles. The second is I now have three stnts with another one scheduled. More importantly is day before yesterday I had my aortic valve replaced and I damn well want to make sure a hard kicking rifle doesn't knock that thing loose. Be a quick bleed out and long gone. Gonna have to work this out with the doc in a few days.

I don't know if my 7MM Rem. Mag. will be too much gun and hoping at least the 06 or .270 might be ok. There id one I think will work and that is a Winchester M70 Featherweight in 7x57. Factory ammo is mikd on the shoulder and will work within reasonable ranges. I've been working with it for some time now and have a good load with the 150 gr.Nosler Partition. Recoil is closer to a .270 than factory 7x57 ammo though but I'm hoping I can get away with using it. Velocity is 2880 FPS and it does move out. I'd hate to have break down almost 100 rounds of finished ammo but it wouldn't be the first time.I also have a good supply of Nosler 150 gr. ABLR that I have to find a usable load for. I'll just have to wait and see.
Paul B.
Click to expand...
Paul
Do you live in the US?
 
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